BLE networking systems and methods providing central and peripheral role reversal according to network provisioned timing therefor

ABSTRACT

Provided are systems and methods for reversing the conventional roles of central and peripheral devices in a BLE network. Doing so includes implementing an end node (EN) as the sole initiator of a connection between a particular EN and other components within the network. Such initiating is controllable by the network so as to effect a transfer of EN functionality among one or more of the other components. Implementation of the transfer depends on a network controlled timing determining functionality of all network components. Accordingly, the network is enabled to effect the power consumption of those components in an effort to optimize use of their respective power resources.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 15/927,388, filedMar. 21, 2018, which, in turn, is a continuation-in-part of applicationSer. No. 15/626,083, filed Jun. 17, 2017, the entire contents ofapplication Ser. Nos. 15/927,388 and 15/626,083 being herebyincorporated by reference, and to each of which priority is claimedunder 35 U.S.C. § 120.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

Disclosed embodiments relate to wireless communications, and morespecifically, to wireless communication among BLUETOOTH Low Energy (BLE)equipped devices in which conventional BLE central and peripheral rolesof those devices are reversed and made applicable to nodes of aBLE-enabled network so as to enhance BLE networking capability.

BACKGROUND

Circa 2009, the Internet was in a stage of its evolution in which thebackbone (routers and servers) was connected to fringe nodes formedprimarily by personal computers. At that time, Kevin Ashton (amongothers) looked ahead to the next stage in the Internet's evolution,which he described as the Internet of Things (“IoT”). In his article,“That ‘Internet of Things’ Thing,” RFID Journal, Jul. 22, 2009, hedescribes the circa-2009-Internet as almost wholly dependent upon humaninteraction, i.e., he asserts that nearly all of the data then availableon the internet was generated by data-capture/data-creation chains ofevents each of which included human interaction, e.g., typing, pressinga record button, taking a digital picture, or scanning a bar code. Inthe evolution of the Internet, such dependence upon human interaction asa link in each chain of data-capture and/or data-generation is abottleneck. To deal with the bottleneck, Ashton suggested adaptinginternet-connected computers by providing them with data-capture and/ordata-generation capability, thereby eliminating human interaction from asubstantial portion of the data-capture/data-creation chains of events.

In the context of the IoT, a thing can be a natural or man-made objectto which is assigned a unique ID/address and which is configured withthe ability to capture and/or create data and transfer that data over anetwork. Relative to the IoT, a thing can be, e.g., a person with aheart monitor implant, a farm animal with a biochip transponder, anautomobile that has built-in sensors to alert the driver when tirepressure is low, field operation devices that assist fire-fighters insearch and rescue, personal biometric monitors woven into clothing thatinteract with thermostat systems and lighting systems to control HVACand illumination conditions in a room continuously and imperceptibly, arefrigerator that is “aware” of its suitably tagged contents that canboth plan a variety of menus from the food actually present therein andwarn users of stale or spoiled food, etc.

In the post-2009 evolution of the Internet towards the IoT, a segmentthat has experienced major growth is that of small, inexpensive,networked processing devices, distributed at all scales throughouteveryday life. Of those, many are configured for everyday/commonplacepurposes. For the IoT, the fringe nodes will be comprised substantiallyof such small devices.

Within the small-device segment, the sub-segment that has the greatestgrowth potential is embedded, low-power, wireless devices. Networks ofsuch devices are described as comprising the Wireless Embedded Internet(“WET”), which is a subset of IoT. More particularly, the WET includesresource-limited embedded devices, which typically are battery powered,and which are typically connected to the Internet by low-power,low-bandwidth wireless networks (“LoWPANs”).

The BLUETOOTH Special Interest Group devised BLE particularly inconsideration of IoT devices and applications which do not rely uponcontinuous connection(s), but depend on extended battery life. A goodexample of these devices includes a temperature sensor whichintermittently provides temperature readings to a collector device thatcollects such readings. That is, continuous connection between thesensor and collector is not necessary to obtain, for example, suchtemperature reading at a discrete point in time.

The BLUETOOTH specification governing operation of BLE devices relatesdefinitional roles to each of the above sensor and collector asperipheral and central, respectively.

In accordance with customary BLE networking operations, a peripheral,such as a sensor above, makes its presence known to any central, such asa collector above, merely by continuously “advertising” its presence. Inother words, the peripheral continuously sends beacon advertisementmessages for recognition by a central that itself decides whetherconnection with the recognized peripheral should occur. In a BLEenvironment, such advertising occurs across three advertising channels,or frequencies, so as to reduce instances of interference among signalssent by multiple peripherals.

Yet, existing within such a BLE environment are several impediments tooptimal communication between a peripheral device, such as an end node(EN), and a central device, such as an access point (AP).

An example of such an impediment exists in the form of an uncertaintythat a peripheral device may experience in actually knowing why itsbroadcast advertisement has not been acknowledged by a central device.Specifically, such uncertainty exists due to the peripheral's inabilityto know whether a central device is in a range enabling receipt of itsadvertisement, or additionally, whether a central device that is inrange is simply overloaded such that it has not had sufficient time orcapacity to process the peripheral's advertisement.

Yet a further impediment that exists to an optimal relationship betweena peripheral and central is congestion across the advertising channelsleading to opportunities for signaling collision and missedadvertisements, each of which causes a lack of connection. Thesefailures are prevalent in scenarios in which multiple peripherals areco-located, i.e., disposed in or at a same space within a structure suchas a building or other venue in which peripheral and centralfunctionality are required or desired.

A still further impediment to BLE networking exists in the fundamentalcomplexity brought about by the conventional BLE peripheral/centralrelationship. In this relationship, a mobile peripheral which moves outof range of a central such as a first network access point (AP) to whichit had previously connected essentially loses any establishedrelationship that such peripheral made with that first AP. In this case,when the peripheral moves within range of another, second AP, thissecond AP is not immediately able to know, due to the establishedrelationship of the peripheral with the first AP, whether a connectionshould be made in view of considerations including networkconfiguration, security and authentication. The only basis for informingthe second AP whether connection with the peripheral should occur isinformation it receives from a coordinating application running on theBLE network and that provides information to APs concerning whetherconnection should be made with a peripheral as a result of its broadcastadvertisement. However, by the time the coordinating application learnsof the lost connection with the first AP in the above scenario, aconsiderable amount of time has elapsed before connection informationcan be, or is, provided by the coordinating application to the second APin order to allow it to determine that it should connect with theperipheral. Thus, in these ways, it will be understood that enablingconnection with a peripheral moving among several APs is not onlycomplex, but further disadvantages exist insofar as increased connectionlatency and a higher utilization of backhaul due to necessaryinformation that must flow to and from the coordinating application.

Thus, it would be desirable to provide for one or more optimized BLEnetworking relationships that address and overcome the aforementionedimpediments and disadvantages now associated with the conventional BLEcentral/peripheral networking relationship discussed above. Morespecifically, it would be desirable to provide applicability of suchoptimized BLE relationships in connection with various applicationenvironments such as, for example, providing healthcare, improvingfitness, improving internet connectivity, improving proximity sensing,improving alert systems, improving jobsite monitoring, improving systemscontrolling access, improving automation and improving systems andmethods for tracking assets to be inventoried and for which locationmust be determined, whether in a commercial or residential setting, aswell as any other application in which a BLE networking protocol isdeployed.

In association with such optimization, it would be further desirable to,for example, coordinate the tracking of such assets as those assets arein transit between multiple locations, and, for instance, relative to afinal, target destination.

Still further, it would also be desirable to conduct that tracking asefficiently as possible so as to conserve energy while the tracking isto occur, and to also achieve such energy conservation while executingone or more of the otherwise mentioned application environments.

SUMMARY

It is to be understood that both the following summary and the detaileddescription are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to providefurther explanation of the present embodiments as claimed. Neither thesummary nor the description that follows is intended to define or limitthe scope of the present embodiments to the particular featuresmentioned in the summary or in the description. Rather, the scope of thepresent embodiments is defined by the appended claims.

An aspect of the embodiments includes a BLE communications system forcommunicating with a network, including an access point (AP) configuredto connect with the network, and transmit a first beacon advertisementmessage, an AP not configured to connect with the network, and transmita second beacon advertisement message, so as to define a reference point(RP), an end node (EN) configured to receive the first and second beaconadvertisement messages, and initiate a connection with the AP for thetransfer of data associated with the EN to the network, and the receiptof data from the network, in which each of the AP, the RP, and the ENare configured by the network to operate according to either an awakenedstate or a sleep state, the AP being selected as comprising a stationaryAP, or a mobile AP.

A further aspect of the embodiments includes a method of BLEcommunications, including, in a system comprising an access point (AP)configured to connect to a network and transmit a first beaconadvertisement message, an AP not configured to connect to the network,and transmit a second beacon advertisement message so as to define areference point (RP), and an end node (EN), in which the AP is selectedas comprising a stationary AP, or a mobile AP, and the EN is configuredto initiate a connection with the AP in response to the receipt of thefirst beacon advertisement message,

operating each of the selected AP, the RP, and the EN according to apredetermined network timing configured to trigger an alternate mode ofoperation of the selected AP, or the RP, or a combination thereof.

In certain embodiments, the disclosed embodiments may include one ormore of the features described herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form a partof the specification, illustrate exemplary embodiments and, togetherwith the description, further serve to enable a person skilled in thepertinent art to make and use these embodiments and others that will beapparent to those skilled in the art. Embodiments herein will be moreparticularly described in conjunction with the following drawingswherein:

FIG. 1 is an illustration of BLE transmission of a beacon advertisementmessage between a BLE central and a BLE peripheral, according to therelated art;

FIG. 2 is an illustration of BLE transmission of a beacon advertisementmessage between a BLE end node (EN) and a BLE access point (AP),according to embodiments disclosed herein;

FIG. 3 is an illustration of a BLE-enabled network in accordance withFIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram of proximity association of a BLE EN with aBLE AP, in accordance with FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram of detection, by a BLE EN, of a BLE AP, inaccordance with FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a sequence diagram of connection, by the BLE EN, with the BLEAP, in accordance with FIGS. 3 and 5.

FIG. 7 is an illustration of a BLE-enabled network showing circumstancesfor interactions between a BLE EN and a mobile BLE AP;

FIG. 8 is an illustration of collective movement of each a plurality ofBLE ENs and at least one BLE AP; and

FIG. 9 is a graphical representation of, during collective movement ofthe plurality of BLE ENs and at least one BLE AP of FIG. 8, a number ofheartbeat messages transmitted by one or more of the plurality of BLEENs relative to a target destination known at the BLE AP.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating alternative configurations of amobile BLE AP according to embodiments herein;

FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram demonstrating a manner of determining alocation of a first configuration of the mobile BLE AP according to FIG.10;

FIG. 12 is a sequence diagram demonstrating a manner of determining alocation of a second configuration of the mobile BLE AP according toFIG. 10;

FIG. 13 is a table setting forth exemplary BLE network componentactivity according to scenarios for such activity; and

FIG. 14 is a sequence diagram for implementation of a respectivescenario of FIG. 13.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure will now be described in terms of variousexemplary embodiments. This specification discloses one or moreembodiments that incorporate features of the present embodiments. Theembodiment(s) described, and references in the specification to “oneembodiment”, “an embodiment”, “an example embodiment”, etc., indicatethat the embodiment(s) described may include a particular feature,structure, or characteristic. Such phrases are not necessarily referringto the same embodiment. The skilled artisan will appreciate that aparticular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connectionwith one embodiment is not necessarily limited to that embodiment buttypically has relevance and applicability to one or more otherembodiments.

In the several figures, like reference numerals may be used for likeelements having like functions even in different drawings. Theembodiments described, and their detailed construction and elements, aremerely provided to assist in a comprehensive understanding of thepresent embodiments. Thus, it is apparent that the present embodimentscan be carried out in a variety of ways, and does not require any of thespecific features described herein. Also, well-known functions orconstructions are not described in detail since they would obscure thepresent embodiments with unnecessary detail.

The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is mademerely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of thepresent embodiments, since the scope of the present embodiments are bestdefined by the appended claims.

It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, theblocks in a flowchart, the communications in a sequence-diagram, thestates in a state-diagram, etc., may occur out of the orders illustratedin the figures. That is, the illustrated orders of theblocks/communications/states are not intended to be limiting. Rather,the illustrated blocks/communications/states may be reordered into anysuitable order, and some of the blocks/communications/states could occursimultaneously.

All definitions, as defined and used herein, should be understood tocontrol over dictionary definitions, definitions in documentsincorporated by reference, and/or ordinary meanings of the definedterms.

The indefinite articles “a” and “an,” as used herein in thespecification and in the claims, unless clearly indicated to thecontrary, should be understood to mean “at least one.”

The phrase “and/or,” as used herein in the specification and in theclaims, should be understood to mean “either or both” of the elements soconjoined, i.e., elements that are conjunctively present in some casesand disjunctively present in other cases. Multiple elements listed with“and/or” should be construed in the same fashion, i.e., “one or more” ofthe elements so conjoined. Other elements may optionally be presentother than the elements specifically identified by the “and/or” clause,whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified.Thus, as a non-limiting example, a reference to “A and/or B”, when usedin conjunction with open-ended language such as “comprising” can refer,in one embodiment, to A only (optionally including elements other thanB); in another embodiment, to B only (optionally including elementsother than A); in yet another embodiment, to both A and B (optionallyincluding other elements); etc.

As used herein in the specification and in the claims, “or” should beunderstood to have the same meaning as “and/or” as defined above. Forexample, when separating items in a list, “or” or “and/or” shall beinterpreted as being inclusive, i.e., the inclusion of at least one, butalso including more than one, of a number or list of elements, and,optionally, additional unlisted items. Only terms clearly indicated tothe contrary, such as “only one of or “exactly one of,” or, when used inthe claims, “consisting of,” will refer to the inclusion of exactly oneelement of a number or list of elements. In general, the term “or” asused herein shall only be interpreted as indicating exclusivealternatives (i.e. “one or the other but not both”) when preceded byterms of exclusivity, such as “either,” “one of,” “only one of,” or“exactly one of’ “Consisting essentially of,” when used in the claims,shall have its ordinary meaning as used in the field of patent law.

As used herein in the specification and in the claims, the phrase “atleast one,” in reference to a list of one or more elements, should beunderstood to mean at least one element selected from any one or more ofthe elements in the list of elements, but not necessarily including atleast one of each and every element specifically listed within the listof elements and not excluding any combinations of elements in the listof elements. This definition also allows that elements may optionally bepresent other than the elements specifically identified within the listof elements to which the phrase “at least one” refers, whether relatedor unrelated to those elements specifically identified. Thus, as anon-limiting example, “at least one of A and B” (or, equivalently, “atleast one of A or B,” or, equivalently “at least one of A and/or B”) canrefer, in one embodiment, to at least one, optionally including morethan one, A, with no B present (and optionally including elements otherthan B); in another embodiment, to at least one, optionally includingmore than one, B, with no A present (and optionally including elementsother than A); in yet another embodiment, to at least one, optionallyincluding more than one, A, and at least one, optionally including morethan one, B (and optionally including other elements); etc.

In the claims, as well as in the specification above, all transitionalphrases such as “comprising,” “including,” “carrying,” “having,”“containing,” “involving,” “holding,” “composed of,” and the like are tobe understood to be open-ended, i.e., to mean including but not limitedto. Only the transitional phrases “consisting of” and “consistingessentially of” shall be closed or semi-closed transitional phrases,respectively, as set forth in the United States Patent Office Manual ofPatent Examining Procedures, Section 2111.03.

It will be understood that, although the terms first, second, etc. maybe used herein to describe various elements, these elements should notbe limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish oneelement from another. For example, a first element could be termed asecond element, and, similarly, a second element could be termed a firstelement, without departing from the scope of example embodiments. Asused herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of oneor more of the associated listed items. As used herein, the singularforms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms aswell, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example,instance, or illustration.” Any embodiment described herein as“exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred oradvantageous over other embodiments. Additionally, all embodimentsdescribed herein should be considered exemplary unless otherwise stated.

The word “network” is used herein to mean one or more conventional orproprietary networks using an appropriate network data transmissionprotocol, or other specification and/or guidelines which may beapplicable to the transfer of information. Examples of such networksinclude, PSTN, LAN, WAN, WiFi, WiMax, Internet, World Wide Web,Ethernet, other wireless networks, and the like.

The phrase “wireless device” is used herein to mean one or moreconventional or proprietary devices using radio frequency transmissiontechniques or any other techniques enabling the transfer of information.Examples of such wireless devices include cellular telephones, desktopcomputers, laptop computers, handheld computers, electronic games,portable digital assistants, MP3 players, DVD players, or the like.

BLE networking enables detection and connection among devices thatgenerally do not require continuous connection therebetween in order foran exchange of information in the form of data to occur. Yet, suchdevices depend upon extended battery life in order that the opportunityfor such an exchange may continue to reliably exist. The devicesthemselves vary in their construction, whether, for example, a sensor, acellphone, a network access point (AP), or some other object configuredto enable and/or provide BLE communication(s) and which is eitherstationary or mobile, such as a BLUETOOTH tag. In the context of BLEnetworking, such devices are prescribed by the BLUETOOTH CoreSpecification 4.0 and are compatible with IEEE 802.15.1, as appropriate.

Typically, in the context of BLE communications, one or more of thesedevices assume the roles of a central 10 and a peripheral 12, as shownin FIG. 1. A peripheral is generally understood as a device which merelybroadcasts, or advertises, its presence toward another device referredto as a central, with the intent that such presence be detected by thatcentral. The broadcast generally takes the form of a beaconadvertisement message transmitted as a radio frequency (RF) signal.Should detection occur, it is also generally understood that it is thecentral that determines whether a connection with the peripheral shouldoccur. If the answer to that determination is in the affirmative, thecentral establishes a connection, and also prescribes all conditionsunder which any connection with a peripheral is to be made. Thedirectional flow of transmission of the beacon advertisement messagecomprising a RF signal from the peripheral is shown by arrows “A,” inFIG. 1, while the directional flow of establishment of a connection withthe peripheral by the central is shown by arrows “B.”

Such a scheme renders BLE networking susceptible to the manyshortcomings discussed hereinabove.

Thus, in an effort to address those shortcomings, embodiments disclosedherein reverse the directional flows of transmission of the beaconadvertisement message and connection so as to thereby reverse the rolesof a conventional central and a conventional peripheral, and make suchrole reversal applicable to appropriate nodes in a BLE-enabled network.

FIG. 2 illustrates such reversal of roles insofar as each of exemplarybattery-powered BLE end nodes (ENs) 14 are responsible for detection ofa beacon advertisement message transmitted from an exemplarybattery-powered BLE access point (AP) 16 in the direction of arrows “A,”and moreover, whereby such ENs 14 are solely responsible for evaluatingand/or determining whether to initiate and/or establish a BLE connectionwith the AP 16, as shown in the direction of arrows “B.” That is, in noway is the AP 16 responsible for evaluating and/or determining anyaspect or aspects of whether to make a connection between a respectiveAP 16 and a respective EN 14, and whereas such aspect or aspects,rather, are solely evaluated and/or determined by the EN 14 so that theEN 14, itself, is enabled to then solely initiate and/or establish theaforementioned connection, if doing so is deemed appropriate by the EN14. Herein, the term, “initiate” means taking any initial steps orenacting any initial procedures, and the terms, “establish,” or“established” mean taking any steps or enacting any procedures relatedto whether to cause and/or maintain a connection between an AP 16 and anEN 14, and thereafter making and/or maintaining such connection.

FIGS. 3-6 and their accompanying descriptions below address variousmanner of associating an EN 14 to an AP 16. Therein, FIG. 3 illustratesa BLE-enabled network and communications system thereof, FIG. 4illustrates a manner of proximity association of a BLE EN to a BLE AP,FIG. 5 illustrates a manner of detection, by a BLE EN, of a BLE AP, andFIG. 6 illustrates a manner of connection, by a BLE EN, with a BLE AP.Throughout, it is to be understood that an EN 14 does not, at any time,transmit to an AP 16 its location, but rather, the location of the EN 14may be determined by relative association of one or more APs 16.

Specifically, FIG. 3 illustrates a BLE-enabled network 18 andcommunications system thereof according to the present embodiments inwhich ENs 14 detect a received signal strength (RSS) of all beaconadvertisement messages transmitted from the APs 16, solely determineproximity with respect to the APs 16, and further, solely initiate andestablish all connections therebetween the ENs 14 and APs 16, inresponse to having evaluated and/or made a decision with respect to, forexample, such RSS, information contained in the beacon advertisementmessage, and/or other information, as discussed below in regard to FIGS.4-6. Once a connection between an EN 14 and an AP 16 is made, data suchas, optionally, identifying information, other than locationinformation, of the EN 14 and identifying information of, other than theconnected AP 16, the most proximate AP 16, and contained information ofthe EN 14 including, for example, sensory information thereof, may betransferred to the respective AP 16 for delivery through a backhaul 20,implemented by a cellular, WiFi, or Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN)configuration, to a network or cloud service 22 for transfer to an enduser terminal 24, such as a personal computing or other electronicdevice enabled to convey the aforementioned information. Pertinentidentifying and/or location information of the APs 16 are known to thenetwork 22. Such network or cloud service 22 includes any one ofavailable data and connectivity platforms to allow users of nodes withinnetwork 18 to, for instance, manage and distribute information pertinentto the nodes and/or information desired in the administration of thenodes. An example of such a platform is CONDUCTOR, available from LinkLabs, Inc. of Annapolis, Md.

As mentioned, EN 14 may transmit identifying information of the AP 16which is most proximate to the EN 14. Such AP 16 may or may not be an AP16 which is connectable to the network 22, as is explained below. Inthese regards, it is to be understood that an AP 16 is connectable ifable to connect to the network 22 via backhaul 20, and asnon-connectable if unable to make such connection. For instance,non-connectable APs 16, which may or may not be present in the network18 according to FIG. 3, are shown in dashed lines, as are transmissionsof their beacon advertisement messages.

Further, it is to be understood that, while communications between an EN14 and AP 16 are discussed herein in the context of the BLE protocol, itis contemplated that such communication may also be optionally achievedaccording to another wireless protocol, as appropriate. Also, it is tobe understood that EN 14 and AP 16 are exemplary of first and secondnetwork nodes, respectively, which may be similarly configured as are EN14 and AP 16 to carry out communications with respect to the BLEnetworking described herein and/or according to the other, appropriatewireless protocol discussed above.

In an exemplary case in which a respective EN 14 is mobile, the EN 14 isconfigured with an estimator comprising appropriate software and/orhardware for estimating proximity to a given AP 16, based on RSS, and isalso configured with appropriate software and/or hardware for performingall operations associated with initiating and/or establishing aconnection with an AP 16.

The estimator conducts a Bayesian Estimation, and specifically a maximuma posteriori (MAP) estimation for each AP 16 encountered by the mobileEN 14 at the time of the encounter, i.e., at the time of receipt of asingle or multiple beacon advertisement messages, so as to account foreither a single RSS, or alternatively, multiple RSSs. In other words,the MAP estimation may reflect either (1) a single RSS at the time ofreceipt of a beacon advertisement message from the respective AP 16 or(2) in order to mitigate RF hopping, a predetermined number ofconsecutive RSSs, e.g., five RSSs, resulting from multiple beaconadvertisement messages from the respective AP 16. Furthermore, the EN 14and its estimator may also be configured to undertake the MAP estimationat any time during operation of the EN 14. The estimation is given bythe following Equation (1),p(x _(t) |y _(1:N))=p(y _(1:N) |x _(1:N))∫p(x _(t) |y _(t-1))p(x _(t-1)|y _(t-1))dx _(t-1).  Equation (1)In this way, the posterior distribution, p(x_(t)|y_(1:N)), for a givenproximity between a particular EN 14 and AP 16 pair at time, t, isdetermined. In particular, such determination is made by advancing thenext most previous posterior, p(x_(t-1)|y_(t-1)) from time, t−1, to thecurrent time, t, given p(x_(t)|y_(t-1)). It is contemplated that avariance of the previous estimate, p(x_(t-1)|y_(t-1)), is increased by apredetermined rate. Accordingly, a new posterior estimate may beobtained based on all observations by an EN 14 in accordance withEquation (2), as follows:

$\begin{matrix}{{p\left( y_{1:N} \middle| x_{1:N} \right)} = {\prod\limits_{i = 1}^{N}{{p\left( y_{i} \middle| x_{i} \right)}.}}} & {{Equation}\mspace{14mu}(2)}\end{matrix}$Therein, x_(i) represents a variable distance from an EN 14 to an AP 16,y_(i) represents a RSS of a single beacon advertisement message or RSSsof several beacon advertisement messages, and N represents a number ofobservations, i.e., a number of received beacon advertisement messages.In this regard, the highest value, or minimum variance, distribution ischosen as the MAP estimate.

Once the MAP estimate is obtained, a confidence value, representing alevel of expectation that a respective AP 16 is most proximate to the EN14, is calculated for each AP 16 encountered by the EN 14, based on theestimated posterior distribution and Equation (3) below, and insofar asa 10 dB predetermined variance in RSS is set as an optional, acceptablevariance therefor:

$\begin{matrix}{P_{\overset{\_}{10\mspace{14mu} d\; B}} = {1 - {2{{Q\left( \frac{10\mspace{14mu}{dB}}{\sigma_{posterior}} \right)}.}}}} & {{Equation}\mspace{14mu}(3)}\end{matrix}$

Thus, it is to be understood that another variance level could be set asthe predetermined variance depending upon, for example, deviceconfiguration(s) of one or more of the AP 16 and EN 14.

Selection of which AP 16 is most proximate to the EN 14 is determined asthat AP 16 which yields the highest confidence value. However, if afurther AP 16 yields a next most confident value corresponding to apredetermined tolerance for the confidence value, selection of the AP 16that is most proximate to the EN 14 is determined from among all of theAPs 16 which have broadcast a beacon advertisement message received bythe EN 14. Still further, a signal strength from a respective AP 16 maybe adjusted, in accordance with an adjustment factor included in thebeacon advertisement message, to confer exclusive selection thereof bythe EN 14, i.e., any other AP 16 whose beacon advertisement message theEN 14 has received is excluded from being considered as being mostproximate to the EN 14. It is to be understood, that the estimator of aparticular EN 14 may be configured to create a statistical fingerprintof AP 16 associations so as to optimize interpretation of futureassociation patterns.

FIG. 4 sets forth a sequence of the above proximity determinationenabling association of a respective EN 14 to a respective AP 16.

Therein, flow begins at decision block 410 and proceeds to decisionblock 420 at which an EN 14 receives a RSS from one or more APs 16.Thereafter, at decision block 430, the EN 14 measures the RSSs. Atdecision block 440, the estimator, which is configured integrally withthe EN 16, calculates a MAP estimation for each of the RSSs.Subsequently, at decision block 450, EN 14 calculates a confidence valuefrom each of the estimated posterior distributions. At decision block460, the AP 16 yielding a highest confidence value is selected as themost proximate AP 16 to the EN 14. Flow then proceeds to decision blocks470-480 in response to the selection by the EN 14. At decision block470, EN 14 records the selection of the AP 16 according to identifyinginformation thereof, including, for example, its network address orother appropriate networking identifying information. At decision block480, the proximity association process ends.

Furthermore, it is contemplated that EN 14 may modulate its behaviordepending upon certain conditions. For example, EN 14 may vary thefrequency with which it conducts its MAP estimate depending upon whetherthe EN 14 is stationary or moving. That is, EN 14 may perform itsestimation more frequently if it is moving, and less often if it isstationary. Still further, EN 14 may be configured to perform somepredetermined action depending upon whether it is at a predeterminedlocation (e.g., activate a light-emitting device (LED) or alarm) and/orwhether no further AP 16 is detected (e.g., deactivate a device).

Additionally, and in accordance with FIGS. 5-6, the decision as to whichAP 16 a mobile EN 14 should connect with, and to which it may transmitthe identifying information of the most proximate AP 16, is determinedbased on attainment of a highest connection value calculated by themobile EN 14. That is, as a mobile EN 14 moves in proximity to one ormore APs 16, the value of connection with any one of the APs is assessedbased on several components including the confidence value, inaccordance with FIG. 4, and an associated weighting factor, a networkloading value and an associated weighting factor, and an associationfactor of the broadcasting AP 16, and is given by the following Equation(4):σ=α·P+β·L+γ, in which  Equation (4)α represents the connection value, as an absolute value, a represents aweighting factor assigned to the confidence value calculated by the EN14, P represents the confidence value, β represents a weighting factorassigned to loading of the connected network, L represents a loadingvalue of the connected network and is included in the beaconadvertisement message, and γ represents an association factor for arespective AP 16, such that γ equals zero if the EN 14 has not made aprevious connection with the respective AP 16 and equals a predeterminedhighest value if the respective AP 16 is the AP 16 with which the EN 14has made a most previous connection.

In this way, an EN 14 that moves among various APs 16, which may or maynot be connectable to the network 22, may determine an optimalconnection among such APs 16 based on the aforementioned componentsyielding the highest connection value in accordance with Equation 4.

Once such connection is made, as indicated by the exemplary doublearrows of FIG. 3, the connected AP 16 may receive from the EN 14 theidentifying information of another AP 16 that is most proximate in acase in which the connected AP 16 has been determined to have attainedthe highest connection value, but not the highest confidence value. Theother, most proximate AP 16 may be any of the following: anon-connectable AP 16, or another connectable AP 16, indicated at 26 inFIG. 3, to which connection has not been made due to it not achievingthe highest connection value. Thus, it is to be understood that theconsideration of the confidence value in Equation 4 increases thelikelihood that the most proximate AP 16 is the one to which EN 14connects. However, this scenario is not certain given connectability ofone or more APs 16 and other considerations used in determining theconnection value according to Equation 4.

The manner of determining the above optimal connection at the mobile EN14 is demonstrated by the flow of FIGS. 5-6. FIG. 5 provides a sequencefor scanning for detection of a beacon advertisement messagerespectively transmitted from one or more APs 16, while FIG. 6 providesa sequence for determining an AP 16 with which the EN 14 should connect,based on the above-discussed connection value, a, as determined inaccordance with Equation 4.

Flow begins in FIG. 5 at decision block 510 and proceeds to decisionblock 520 at which EN 14 scans for and detects a respective beaconadvertisement message from one or more APs 16, whose identifying and/orlocation information is known to the network 22. Thereafter, at decisionblock 530, EN 14 processes a detected beacon advertisement message todetermine a Universally Unique Identifier (UUID) match whereinidentifying data of the AP 16 broadcasting the beacon advertisementmessage is confirmed as belonging to the network 22. From there, flowproceeds to decision block 540 to determine and confirm a token match.If a match is confirmed at 540, the broadcasting AP 16 is, at decisionblock 550, added to a list of detected APs 16 (“detection list”) forwhich decisions at blocks 530 and 540 have been confirmed. Duringoperation of the estimator at decision blocks 520-540, the estimator ofEN 14 calculates respective confidence values for the detected APs, andrecords each of the respective confidence values for the detected APs 16such that attained confidence value is associated with a respective,detected AP 16 when such AP 16 is added to the detection list, and alsoits selection of the most proximate AP 16. Thereafter, it is determinedat decision block 560 whether the scanning operation has timed out. Ifnot, as in the case of negative decisions at decision blocks 530 and540, scanning continues. If the scanning operation has timed out, flowproceeds, as shown in FIG. 6, to determine which AP 16, from among thedetection list, the EN 14 should connect.

Based on a timeout having occurred and the detection list, flow thenproceeds, from decision block 560, to decision block 610 of FIG. 6 so asto initialize a list of APs 16 to which the EN 14 should connect (so asto provide a “connection list”). Once this connection list isinitialized, an AP 16, with its associated confidence value, is drawnfrom the detection list, at decision block 620, at which point it isthen determined, at decision block 630, if such AP 16 is connectable tothe network 22 of FIG. 3, for example. If the drawn AP 16 isconnectable, flow then proceeds, with respect to such drawn AP 16, todecision block 640 whereat a connection value therefor is calculated inaccordance with Equation (4). Flow is then iterative through decisionblocks 620-640 until detection list provided at decision block 550 isempty. From among respective connection values calculated at decisionblock 640, EN 14 selects and connects with, at decision block 650, theAP 16 having a highest connection value in accordance with Equation (4),and proceeds to an end at decision block 660 once connection isestablished.

During that connection, however, identifying information, other thanlocation information, of an AP 16 which is determined to be mostproximate to the EN 14, but non-connectable to the network 22, may betransmitted, by the EN 14, to the AP 16 with which the aforementionedconnection has been established.

In this way, the aforementioned proximity determination according to thediscussed confidence value serves the dual purpose of both determiningwhich AP 16, whether the AP 16 is connectable or non-connectable, ismost proximate to an EN 14, and providing a basis for determining whichAP 16 the EN 14 should connect. That is, the AP 16 with which the EN 14ultimately connects may receive identifying information of anon-connectable AP 16 that is most proximate to the EN 14 so that arelative determination of the location of the EN 14 may be determinedwith reference to this latter, non-connectable AP 16. In this way, thegranularity of the proximity determination above is increased such thatnon-connectable APs 16, and not only connectable APs 16, are eachconsidered by the estimator of EN 14 so as to render available a moreaccurate AP/EN proximity association.

Accordingly, as mobile EN 14 moves in and out of range of one or moreAPs 16, connection with a respective one thereof may be made based uponthe aforementioned confidence and connection values, such that theconnected AP 16 likewise may yield a highest confidence value so as tobe most proximate to the EN 14, and represent the optimal connectionaccording to Equation (4). In this case, such proximity will be madeknown to the user 24 by virtue of the established connection and thelack of any other AP 16 identifying information being transferred to thenetwork 22.

Such ability of a EN 14 to select and connect with a specified,respective one of APs 16 removes the shortcomings of conventional BLEnetworking by enabling a mobile EN 14 to have the autonomy necessary toinitiate and/or establish connection with an AP 16 solely in response toits own evaluation and decision making with respect to aspectscontributing to the aforementioned proximity association, connectionvalue and/or other information associated with the EN 14. For instance,such other information may optionally include one or more parametersrelating to operation of the EN 14.

In removing the aforementioned shortcomings, it will be apparent thatthe embodiments discussed herein eliminate the conventionallyoverwhelming number of advertisements transmitted by peripherals inconventional BLE networking. That is, the present embodimentssubstantially reduce the number of advertisements occurring at a giventime by virtue of the BLE role reversal, discussed herein, in whichplural end nodes receive, rather than transmit, advertisements in theform of beacon advertisement messages from one more access points.

Once connected, the EN 14 may then transfer its own identifyinginformation, other than location information, and identifyinginformation of the most proximate AP 16. In this way, when informationof an AP 16 other than the connected AP 16 is not transferred, it willbe understood that the connected AP 16 is most proximate to the EN 14.Concurrently with the transfer of the above information, the EN 14 mayalso transfer one or more of its contained information including sensoryinformation, access information, notification information, alarminformation, and any other status and/or content information thereof asmay be applicable to its particular configuration. For instance, it iscontemplated that EN 14 may transfer any of the aforementioned types ofinformation so as to be applicable to such environments including aworkplace or other type of commercial environment in which commerce is apurpose, a residence, and a medical facility or other facility in whichtracking of persons or objects is necessary and/or desired.

The following examples describe instances of associating a particularend node (EN) 14 to a particular access point (AP) 16. Further, suchexamples are set forth in the context of the BLE-enabled network 18 ofFIG. 3 and with the exemplary understanding that an EN 14, which may bedefined as a BLE tag and/or a BLE tag attached to or associated with aparticular object, is seeking association with a BLE AP 16 that isconfigured to report information of the tag to an end user 24 viabackhaul 20 and network 22. In these regards, it is contemplated that EN14 and AP 16 may be embodied as being any stationary and/or mobile nodesof an appropriate wireless network, and as being capable of operatingaccording to a BLE protocol or other protocol in which such nodes mayoperate as respective first and second nodes according to any of FIGS.4, 5, and/or 6. Also, in these regards, it is to be understood that arespective EN 14 may be configured to calculate its confidence andconnections values at the same time, or, at different times. It is to beunderstood that EN 14 may undertake any of the processes of FIGS. 4-6 atany time, whether the EN 14 is mobile or stationary. Thus, the EN 14 isconfigured to optimize, at least, a rate at which connection may beestablished, with respect to, at least, proximity of such connection aswell as the efficiency of such connection, as will be understood basedon the components of Equation (4).

In a first instance, it is contemplated that such tag is attached to anobject, such as a hospital bed for which it is desirous to know thelocation thereof at any given point in time when it is moving throughouta hospital environment. Thus, assume that the hospital bed, with the tagattached thereto, is transient throughout the hospital, moving fromfloor to floor and from room to room, as the case may be when a patientis to undergo a particular procedure. At any given point in time, as thebed moves from one location to the next, its whereabouts may be trackedthrough monitoring achieved by the BLE communications system disclosedherein.

More specifically, as the hospital bed may move throughout a particularfloor, it contemplated that it will move among a number of APs whoselocation is known to the hospital network. As that travel occurs, thetag attached to the bed will scan for beacon advertisement messagestransmitted from the various APs. Upon receipt of the transmittedsignals, the tag is configured to conduct the MAP estimation discussedhereinabove and calculate a highest confidence value for the AP that isin closest proximity at a given point in time and which may or may notbe connectable to the hospital network. The tag is further configured toconnect with a particular connectable AP having a highest connectionvalue, as shown by the exemplary double arrows extending between anexemplary EN 14 and AP 16 of FIG. 3, so that the identifying and otherinformation of the closest proximity AP may then be transferred to theend user. In this way, as the bed and attached tag may continue to move,the process of determining proximity of the tag to both connectable andnon-connectable APs continues until, optionally, such point in time whenthe bed and attached tag are stationary such that identifyinginformation of a further, different AP need not be reported.

More particularly, and continuing with the example scenario above, theattached tag is alternatively, and optionally, configured to conduct ascan of broadcasting APs and assess their UUID and token information soas to qualify those APs to be included on a detection list resultingfrom the scan and from which connection with a specified one thereofwill occur in order to transfer the tag's identity, identity informationof the AP to which the tag is most proximate, and/or containedinformation of the tag to an end user. Once this detection list iscompiled and scanning is completed, embodiments of the presentdisclosure contemplate the tag being configured to initialize aconnection list of APs, from among the APs compiled on the detectionlist. Once initialized, the tag is further contemplated to conduct adetermination of whether an AP is connectable to the network 22 viabackhaul 20 so as to be able to transfer information of the tag to anend user desirous of knowing the location of the hospital bed. Eachconnectable AP is then evaluated as to its associated connection valuein accordance with Equation (4) above.

More specifically, the connection value for each AP, that is determinedto be connectable to the network 22, is assessed based on componentscomprising a confidence value representing a level of expectation that arespective AP is most proximate to the tag and an associated weightingfactor, a network loading value and an associated weighting factor, andan association factor of the AP. In regard to the association factor, itis contemplated that such factor be deemed to have a value of zero ifthe tag has not connected with the AP being evaluated, and to have ahighest value if the tag has had its most recent connection with thatAP. In this way, those connectable APs for whom a connection value hasbeen evaluated by the tag will yield an AP having a highest connectionvalue. As such, the tag will then select that AP as the AP with which toinitiate and establish a connection enabling the transfer of pertinentinformation of the tag, including identity information of the AP towhich the tag is most proximate, to the end user.

When considering the above embodiments, it will be understood that APs16, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 7, are stationary with respect to theirlocation, such that a location of an EN 14 becomes attributed to the EN14 by virtue of its proximity and/or connection to a particularstationary AP 16, the location of which is known to the network 22 asbeing fixed. Accordingly, in the context of determining a location of anEN 14 with respect to a final, target destination TD at which the EN 14is expected to arrive, the following discussion addresses a manner ofdetermining the incremental location of a respective EN 14 as that EN 14is in transit toward such final, target destination TD.

In this regard, FIGS. 7-9 and their accompanying description contemplatethe provision of a BLE-enabled communications system in which a locationof one or more ENs 14 is determined with respect to a varying/variablelocation of an AP 30. That is, the AP 30 which one or more ENs 14 maydetermine as being most proximate, and to which such one or more ENs 14may connect is mobile. In this way, and in accordance with a mobile AP30 obtaining a highest confidence value in accordance with Equations(1)-(3) and a highest connection value in accordance with Equation (4)as explained above, a synchronicity of location determination among eachof the one or more ENs 14 and the mobile AP 30 is provided. Further, aswill be explained, such location determination is achieved byattribution of a location of a mobile AP 30 to an EN 14, with respect toa final, target destination TD so that, for instance, the whereabouts ofa particular EN 14 may become known incrementally at points along aroute toward the final, target destination. Alternatively, a location ofan EN 14 may be determined through attribution of one or more randomlocations of the mobile AP 30.

Referring now to FIG. 7, there is provided a BLE-enabled network 28,which is similar to the network of FIG. 3. However, network 28 furtherincludes exemplary battery-powered mobile APs 30, in which two thereofare shown such that in other exemplary embodiments only one mobile AP30, or several additional mobile APs 30 may be incorporated. Each mobileAP 30 is configured to comprise its own wireless backhaul 32,implemented by any appropriate hardware and/or software therefor, fordelivery of information to and from network 22, and which may compriseany of, for example, Global System for Mobiles (GSM), or Long-TermEvolution (LTE), including Cat-M1 or NB-IoT.

Additionally, and while each mobile AP 30 broadcasts its beaconadvertisement message in a similar manner as does a respective AP 16 ofFIG. 3, the aforementioned beacon advertisement message is provisioned,i.e., configured, by network 22 to include one or more parameters thatindicate that a respective AP 30 is mobile. In other words, a mobile AP30 is set to indicate that its location is not fixed or stationary. Thisis in contrast to beacon advertisement messages sent from stationary APs16 of network 28, which are configured by the network 28 to indicatethat such APs 16 are stationary.

Furthermore, such mobile AP 30 may be likewise provisioned by network22, or otherwise such as by initial internal programming, to comprise alocation of a final, target destination TD.

With respect to determinations by an EN 14 of which mobile AP 30 is mostproximate, in accordance with Equations (1)-(3), network 28 functionsdifferently than that of FIG. 3. More particularly, network 28 confers abias in favor of stationary APs 16. That is, upon receipt of a beaconadvertisement message from at least one stationary AP 16, an EN 14 makesits proximity determination solely on the basis of messaging from one ormore stationary APs 16 so as to disregard messaging from any mobile AP30 that may be within range of the EN 14 so as to receive associatedadvertisements. In this way, an end user, through communication withnetwork 22, may obtain a location of an EN 14, i.e., the attributedlocation of a particular stationary AP 16, in which that location isalready known by the network 22 to be a fixed location.

However, an EN 14 of network 28 will evaluate connection to the network22, in accordance with Equation 4, by considering both stationary APs 16and mobile APs 30 as potential points for connection. In other words,once an EN 14 has determined its connection in accordance with Equation4 and has connected to either a stationary AP 16 that is within range ofthe EN 14 or a mobile AP 30 that is within range of the EN 14, theidentifying information, i.e., the media access control (MAC) address,of the most proximate AP 16 or AP 30, as determined by the EN 14 inaccordance with Equations (1)-(3), is transmitted by the EN 14 to thenetwork 22 through the determined connection, and then attributed by thenetwork 22 as the location of the EN 14. As previously discussed, an EN14 makes its proximity determination from among (1) only stationary APs16 when a mobile AP 30 is also within range of the EN 14, or (2) onlymobile APs 30 when no stationary AP 16 is within range of the EN 14.

Variable positioning of a mobile AP 30 is determined with the assistanceof hardware configured on the AP 30 itself. Such hardware may compriseany one or more of a conventional Global Positioning Satellite (GPS)receiver, a conventional WiFi receiver, and a conventional cellularmodem. As will be explained below, positional coordinates of the mobileAP 30, such as its latitude and longitude, are obtained for the purposeof network 22 attributing those coordinates to an EN 14, which hasdetermined that the mobile AP 30 is most proximate and/or to whichconnection therewith should be established.

When configured with a GPS receiver, a mobile AP 30 determines latitudeand longitude as would, for example, a smartphone or other computingdevice executing GOOGLE MAPS or another known global positioningapplication.

When configured with a WiFi receiver, a mobile AP 30 is enabled toobtain, for one or more wireless local area networks (WLANs), such as aWiFi network or networks, received signal strength indicators (RSSIs)for detected networks, service set IDs (SSIDs) representing a name of aparticular WiFi network, and basic service set IDs (BSSIs) representingthe MAC address of access points within the detected network. With thisinformation, and particularly BSSIs for detected networks, the mobile AP30 is then able to communicate detected addresses to network 22. Network22 then coordinates access to positioning databases for WiFi networks,including, for example, that which is administered by GOOGLE. Throughthis coordination and matching of these addresses, a relative locationof the mobile AP 30, comprising a latitude and longitude for thedetected addresses, may be determined and attributed, by network 22, toany mobile AP 30 for which an EN 14 conducted its proximity andconnection determinations.

When configured with a cellular modem, the cellular ID (CID) of the basetransceiver station (BTS) with which the mobile AP 30 is incommunication is delivered upstream to the network 22. There, network 22accesses a mapping of the BTS as administered by a cellular providerwith rights to the BTS, such as VERIZON, AT&T or similar networkoperators. With this mapping, a relative location of the mobile AP 30,comprising the latitude and longitude of the communicating BTS, may belearned and attributed, by network 22, to any mobile AP 30 for which anEN 14 conducted its proximity and connection determinations.

When configured with any combination of mobile AP 30 locationdetermining hardware including the GPS receiver, the WiFi receiver andthe cellular modem, as described above, network 22 is configured tocalculate and determine the relative location of the mobile AP 30 withina predetermined tolerance of positional latitude and longitudecoordinates. Such determination may occur, for instance, in a case inwhich the network 22 determines a location of a mobile AP 30 using acombination of, for example, GPS coordinates and WiFi derivedcoordinates, though other combinations are contemplated.

Relative to communications between an EN 14 and a mobile AP 30, network22 is configured to message an EN 14, through a mobile AP 30, in orderto provision certain ones of settings of the EN 14. Among these settingsare aspects of a heartbeat message, i.e., a message sent by the EN 14 tothe network 22 which informs the network 22 of the communication stateof the EN 14. As examples, such aspects may include one or more of abattery configuration, a heartbeat message interval defining a period oftime between transmissions of heartbeat messages, “scans per fix”defining a number of scans to be conducted for every proximity locationdetermination of a most proximate stationary AP 16 or mobile AP 30, aswell as any update information in relation to any of the aforementionedaspects. A transmitted heartbeat message will include the MAC address ofa most proximate stationary AP 16 or mobile AP 30.

The heartbeat message interval for a stationary EN 14 that isoperational within network 18 of FIG. 3 need not be as short as, forinstance, an EN 14 that is operational within network 28 of FIG. 7. Thisis the case since the relative location of an EN 14 of network 18 isknown by virtue of its connection with a stationary AP 16, the locationof which is maintained in network storage. In other words, a relativelocation attributed to an EN 14, owing to a fixed location of astationary AP 16, is substantially invariable.

In contrast, a relative location of an EN 14 of network 28 is variablesince, as has been discussed, such location is determinable as afunction of a precise location of a mobile AP 30 that is determined bythe EN 14 to be most proximate and/or to which connection should beestablished.

Accordingly, network 22 is configured to provision a heartbeat messageinterval of a mobile AP 30 differently, such that the aforementionedinterval is substantially shorter than that of a stationary AP 16. Doingso is particularly useful whereby network 22 is therefore enabled toquickly learn of a relative location of an EN 14, resulting from anattributed location of a mobile AP 30. In this way, metrics associatedwith such location by an end user may be evaluated on an as-neededbasis, or in real-time depending upon provisioning determined by thenetwork 22. Such metrics may include, for instance and in a circumstancein which the EN 14 is associated with a package that needs to betracked, a calculation of penalties owing to an overdue arrival time.

Referring to FIG. 8, there is shown an exemplary container 34 includingan aggregation of ENs 14 which are communicable (as shown by theindicated arrows) with at least one mobile AP 30, each of which isconfigured to be provisioned by network 22. Container 34 may compriseany type of holding apparatus, including, for example, a crate, box, orother device capable of securely holding items in place and allowing fortheir removability. As shown, container 34 is attached to a movableplatform 36 which may be directed in the direction of target destinationTD. Movable platform 36 may comprise any type of structure enabled tosupport container 34, such as a bed or flooring of a delivery vehicle,prongs of a forklift like that which may be found in a warehouse or at aseaport having multiple loading docks. The direction of targetdestination TD may comprise any mappable direction, such that a locationof container 34 and its contents may be determined with respect to thattarget destination by virtue of the GPS, WiFi, and cellularconfigurations available for a mobile AP 30.

Though only one container 34 is shown, it is contemplated that movableplatform 36 may support several similarly configured containers 34.Likewise, one or more of the containers may contain multiple mobile APs30.

Each of the ENs 14 and mobile APs 30 may be provisioned with respect totarget destination TD so that a location of each may be accuratelydetermined at a desired rate and time. That is, mobile AP 30 will beconfigured with the target destination, and the ENs 14 will each beconfigured with a heartbeat message interval and update rate therefor inrecognition of receipt of beacon advertisement messages from one or moremobile APs 30. That is, the heartbeat message interval may be configuredin accordance with the discussion provided below in regard to FIG. 9.More specifically, the heartbeat message interval may be configured bynetwork 22 to decrease as a distance from the target destination TDdecreases.

FIG. 9 provides a graphical representation depicting an exemplaryscenario for a number of heartbeat message transmissions relative to atarget destination TD of a mobile AP 30 and its associating ENs 14.Therein, such number of transmissions is shown as being the greatestwhen the mobile AP 30 and associating ENs 14 are nearest the targetdestination. This is, of course, due to a decreasing heartbeat messageinterval that results from approach of the mobile AP 30 toward thetarget destination TD.

While the relative proximity of the mobile AP 30 is indicated in termsof distance, i.e., miles, it is to be understood that other measurableparameters may be substituted such as, for example, units of time.Additionally, though location has thus far been discussed as the gaugefor determining a setting of the heartbeat message interval relative tomovement of the mobile AP 30, it should also be understood that othercriteria, such as temperature or other sensory perceptibility with whichan EN 14 may be equipped may also serve as a basis for theaforementioned setting. For instance, if an EN 14 is equipped withsensory perceptibility for, say, temperature, the EN 14 may beprovisioned by network 22 to adjust its heartbeat interval upon theoccurrence of a certain temperature or range thereof. Even more,adjustment of the heartbeat message interval may be a function of one ormore flags set in the beacon advertisement message transmitted by themobile AP 30 so that the EN 14 transmits its heartbeat messagecorrespondingly.

The following examples describe instances of associating an EN 14 with aparticular mobile AP 30, and thus, are specifically applicable in thecontext of network 28 of FIGS. 7-9 for enabling the transfer ofinformation pertaining to an EN 14 and determining a location thereofwhile in transit between multiple locations.

A first use case includes a situation in which an inventory of selectitems contained within a shipping pallet is to be determined. Whenmaking such determination, it is important to know the location ofvarious items held by the pallet. Accordingly, the embodiments hereincontemplate attachment of an EN 14 to the items, as well inclusion of amobile AP 30 onto the pallet, and in which the mobile AP 30 may bedefined according to either Configuration A or Configuration B asdescribed above. Thus, as the pallet moves between several locations andtoward a target destination TD, an end user may become aware of thelocation of any one pallet item in response to heartbeat messagestransmitted from the associated EN 14. As has been discussed, suchheartbeat messages will, necessarily, include the MAC address of themobile AP 30, and as a result of such inclusion, the location of theassociated ENs 14 will become known due to attribution of the locationof the mobile AP 30.

A second use case according to the disclosed embodiments contemplatestracking the location of goods which are to be hauled from place toplace, and ultimately to a purchaser of the goods. Take, as an example,intended delivery of gas-filled tanks containing gases such as oxygen ornitrogen. In this example, it would be advantageous to both the sellerand the purchaser to know both the location and condition of the tanksand their contents as the delivery process is undertaken. In order toprovide and facilitate such knowledge, the present embodimentscontemplate the attachment of an EN 14 to each tank, in which the EN 14is enabled to assess parameters of a given tank including, for example,an amount of contained content, a pressurization thereof, and/or atemperature thereof. Additionally, the present embodiments alsocontemplate the inclusion of a mobile AP 30 within the truck carryingthe tanks, as well a further mobile AP 30 embodied by the driver'ssmartphone configured to include an application that leverages the GPS,WiFi and cellular capabilities thereof. In this way, and in accordancewith Equations (1)-(4) pertaining to determination of a most proximatemobile AP 30 and connection to that mobile AP 30 which garners a highestconnection value, both a location of a given tank and informationpertaining to the aforementioned parameters may be learned. This is trueeven as incremental movements of the mobile AP 30 occur from the truckto the target destination. For example, such location and pertinentinformation may be learned via the driver's smartphone as offloading ofa particular tank from the truck and its delivery to the targetdestination occurs. This is the case as the associated EN 14 will likelybecome biased toward connection with the driver's smartphone given anexpected close proximity, i.e. a few feet, from the tank being deliveredas the tank is being carried to the target destination.

In a third use case, it is contemplated that in the above example themobile AP 30 contained within the truck would not include connection tothe network 22. As a result, such mobile AP 30 would serve merely as areference point that may be reported by a particular EN 14 to thedriver's smartphone. In this way, the whereabouts of the truck, thedriver and the tanks carried by the truck may be known simultaneously.In each of the above use cases, and in others as may be applicable inaccordance with the disclosed embodiments, it will be understood thatnon-receipt of a heartbeat message will indicate that it has moved outof range of one or more mobile APs 30. As such, the last reportedlocation of an EN 14 may be deemed its final location.

With respect to the above-described embodiments, one or more of an EN 14and a mobile AP 30 may be configured for detection of temperature,light, sound, pressure, humidity, density, moisture, acceleration,voltage, current, material content level and pressure, motion,proximity, magnetism, rotation, orientation, velocity and/or deviationfrom original condition.

As referenced above, a respective mobile AP 30 of network 28 comprises awireless backhaul 32 enabling connection with the network 22. Further,and as is also referenced above, such mobile AP 30 may comprise one ormore of a GPS receiver and a WiFi receiver. With reference to FIG. 10,Configuration A illustrates a mobile AP 30 in which each of acommunications module, i.e., a modem, a GPS receiver and a WiFi receiverare included so as to enable determination of a location of the mobileAP 30, as described above. Alternatively, Configuration B illustrates adecentralization of Configuration A. In doing so, Configuration Bincludes a battery-powered BLE communications module/modem 37, andseparate battery-powered BLE GPS and WiFi modules 38 and 40, in whicheach of these modules is configured to be communicatively coupled withthe communications module 37, as shown by the arrows in FIG. 10. Thatis, upon determination of their pertinent information, the modules 38and 40 are configured to transmit the same to the communications module37 for relay to the network 22.

In this way, alternative Configurations A and B provide flexibility asto which thereof is more suitable for use in a particular situation inwhich it is desired to learn a location and/or information of an EN 14to which the location of the mobile AP 30 is to be attributed. Forinstance, it may be the case that, due to physical constraints,Configuration A would not be suitable due to size, etc., whileConfiguration B would be appropriate.

The manner in which the mobile AP 30 according to Configuration A orConfiguration B obtains its location differs with respect how positionalcoordinates are assigned. In this regard, FIGS. 11 and 12 show the stepsto be implemented for Configurations A and B, respectively, for suchassignment, as well as the attribution of a location of the mobile AP 30to an EN 14.

In referring to FIG. 11, assignment of positional coordinates to amobile AP 30 according to Configuration A begins at decision block 1110,and proceeds to decision block 1120 whereat positional coordinates forthe mobile AP 30 are obtained through either GPS and/or WiFi detectionand transmitted to the network 22. At decision block 1130, mobile AP 30begins its transmission of beacon advertisement messages for detectionby one or more ENs 14. At decision block 1140, the mobile AP 30 receivesheartbeat messages from one or more of the ENs 14. When transmitted fromthe mobile AP 30 to the network 22, a respective heartbeat message willinclude the MAC address of the mobile AP 30. Thus, at decision block1150, network 22 is then equipped to attribute the location of themobile AP 30 to the transmitting EN 14, whereas the process then ends atdecision block 1160. In this way, a location of the EN 14 may be learnedthrough attribution of the location of the mobile AP 30, wherein suchlocation defines the mobile AP 30 as that through which the EN 14connected to the network 22, as well as that which is perhaps mostproximate to the EN 14.

In referring to FIG. 12, there is shown a process for determination of alocation of a mobile AP 30 according to Configuration B, and subsequentdetermination of a location of an EN 14. The process begins at decisionblock 1210, and proceeds to decision block 1220 whereat network 22 firstassociates a MAC address of the GPS module 38 and/or the WiFi module 40to the communications module 37. That is, the association of the modules38 and 40 is performed preliminarily such that the grouping of modules37, 38 and 40 is known by the network 22. At decision block 1230,communications module 37 advertises to either one or both of the GPS andWiFi modules 38 and 40. Whether the GPS module 38 or the WiFi module 40is enabled to acquire a transmitted advertisement depends on a setting,i.e., flag or other distinguishing parameter, that is included in theadvertisement and conveys that the advertisement is intended to bereceived by only one or both of the GPS and WiFi modules 38 and 40. Atdecision block 1240 and upon receipt of the beacon advertisementmessage, the GPS and/or WiFi module 38, 40 are configured to transmittheir respective GPS or WiFi information to communications module 37, inaccordance with Equations (1)-(4) and in the form of heartbeat messages,for relay by the communications module 37 to the network 22. Thereafter,at decision block 1250 and prior to the end of the process at decisionblock 1260, the network 22 determines a location of the mobile AP 30 ofConfiguration B so as to make that location available for attribution toa connected EN 14 in response to transmitting of its heartbeat messages.As such, the mobile AP 30 location defines the mobile AP 30 as thatthrough which the EN 14 connected to the network 22, as well as thatwhich is perhaps most proximate the EN 14.

Accordingly, the network 22 is enabled to ensure the correct pairing ofcommunications, GPS, and WiFi modules 37, 38 and 40 such that one ormore GPS modules 38 and WiFi modules 40 may report their respectiveinformation through any communications module 37 that is connectable tothe network 22. Thus, a location of a connected EN 14 may be learneddespite the number and patterns of GPS and WiFi connections amongvarious communications modules 37.

Optimization of networking procedures and processes, like those embodiedhereinabove, is a core aspect of maintaining and enhancing thefunctionality of network components. This is especially true in thecontext of BLE devices which are battery powered, and that thus rely onminimized energy use in order to maximize a continuing ability to carryout their networking tasks.

In this regard, many advantages exist in providing componentfunctionality that is centrally coordinated by the network 22 when suchcomponents are to engage in tasks such as, for example, asset trackingand relay of desired information. Among these advantages is the abilityto obtain maximized component battery life and, thus, the correlatingextended time with which a component may function.

In these regards, network 22 is configured to provision timing foroperation of its components including one or more of each of itsconnectable and non-connectable stationary APs 16, mobile APs 30 and ENs14 to perform their networking functionality, as described hereinabove,according to coordinated scheduling. More specifically, the schedulingis configured to provide both active, i.e., awakened, and sleepmodes/states for all of the stationary APs 16, all of the mobile APs 30,or all of the ENs 14, and respective subsets thereof, based on a commonnetwork 22 system time to which such components may be periodicallyre-synched to compensate for individual clock drift. In their activemode, the aforementioned components perform their respectivefunctionalities as described hereinabove, while in sleep mode suchfunctionalities are suspended for the appropriate duration asprovisioned by network 22. Such active and sleep modes may be configuredto occur during any of the following periods, including in real time, orduring a discrete scheduling period, e.g., over the course of apredetermined interval or number of hours, or during maintenance of someor all of the network components, or during a combination of theaforementioned.

Furthermore, and based on the scheduling, network 22 is also configuredto impart alternate functionality, i.e., functionality other than thatwhich has been described above, for respective ones of theaforementioned components, as discussed below.

Thus, the confluence of variously provisioned timing and correspondingcomponent functionality is presented according to a number of activityscenarios detailed in FIG. 13. Therein, at least three scenarios,including Scenario 1 (S1), Scenario 2 (S2), and Scenario 3 (S3) areillustrated with respect to network 22 provisioned timings for activeand sleep modes among stationary APs 16 and mobile APs 30 that areconnectable to the network 22, stationary APs 16 that are notconnectable to the network 22, i.e., reference points (RPs) 17, and ENs14. In these respects, it will be understood that any of the APs 16 and30, RPs 17, and ENs 14 may initially be configured according to thenetwork 22 system time so as to be active or asleep with respect to aparticular scenario. APs 16 and 30 and ENs 14 are contemplated toreceive and apply network provisioning through their regularly conductednetwork communications as described herein. RPs 17, on the other hand,are each contemplated to receive network provisioning enabling theiroperation according to S1-S3 by virtue of initial programming as an EN14. That is, an RP 17 will, in order to operate according to S1, S2, orS3, be configured to first function as an EN 14 so as to listen for thenetwork being broadcasted by an AP 16 or 30, and/or RP 17. Oncedetected, the RP 17 may then connect to the network 22 through an AP 16or 30 in order to retrieve mailbox messages containing its configurationdata. Once retrieved, the RP 17 may then function according to thatconfiguration data with respect to a particular scenario.

In S1, each of the APs 16 and 30, RPs 17 and ENs 14 operate, accordingto network 22 provisioned timing, in active mode so as to function asdescribed above in connection with FIGS. 3 and 7. That is, ENs 14actively detect beacon advertisement messages transmitted from APs 16and 30 and RPs 17 so as to, in accordance with Equations (1)-(4),determine their most proximate access point as well as that to which aconnection should be initiated for the relay of information to and thereceipt of information from the network 22. Once regularly scheduledtasks are completed, each of these components is configured to laydormant, or asleep, until the occurrence of a next wakeup time definedby the provisioned timing. Notably, ENs 14 may check their mailboxmessages when connected through an AP 16 or AP 30, and also act inaccordance with information relayed to the network 22, which isthereafter analyzed by the network 22 to determine necessary adjustmentsto be relayed back to the ENs through an established connection. Forexample, in a situation in which an EN 14 relays sensor data such as atemperature reading, an EN 14, if so configured, may sound or otherwiseindicate an alarm in response to receipt of messaging from network 22 todo so as a result of an evaluation by network 22 that doing so isappropriate. Additionally, an EN 14 may, when connected to network,receive adjustments for one more parameters and conditions affectingthose parameters including, for example, heartbeat interval and latency.Also, an AP 16 or 30 may obtain its own an adjustment of one or moreparameters thereof and conditions affecting such parameters. Suchparameters may include, for one or more of the APs 16 or 30, a RSSIoffset (dBm), a location offset (dB), a level of transmission power(dBm), or latency, or advertising rate, or a combination thereof, inwhich the location offset represents an adjustment of RSSI of an AP 16or 30 to bias selection thereof as most proximate according to Equations(1)-(3).

S2 contemplates, as is shown in FIG. 13, an instance in which networkprovisioned timing causes each of the APs 16 and APs 30 to be active,while the ENs 14 and RPs 17 are asleep. Here, since no connection can beinitiated by a respective EN 14 due to its sleep state and since arespective RP 17 is unable to connect with the network 22, APs 16 and 30are configured to, through time-division multiplexing, operate ascentrals 10 according to FIG. 1. That is, APs 16 and 30 may furtherfunction to receive beacon advertisement messages from peripherals thatdo not function as ENs 14, i.e., peripherals 12 according to FIG. 1. Asa result of such receipt, the APs 16 and 30 obtain the MAC addresses ofthe transmitting peripherals 12 and conduct a measurement of RSSI. Inthis way, network 22 may then receive the MAC addresses and the RSSImeasurements, and determine a relative location of the transmittingperipherals 12 based on their beacon advertisement messages.Additionally, APs 16 and 30 may, if configured with spectrum analysiscapability, also analyze and report to network 22 other RF signals whichare detectable.

Still referring to FIG. 13, a third scenario of provisioned networktiming is defined by S3. In this scenario, all or subsets of the APs 16and 30 and all or subsets of the RPs 17 may be configured to operate inactive mode synchronously while ENs 14 are asleep. Such synchronousoperation enables the leveraging of alternate modes of operation asdescribed below.

Notably, the absence of RP connectability to network 22 in thisscenario, as well as in S2, triggers RPs 17 to begin by operating as anEN 14 so as to receive their initial network 22 provisioning for thegiven scenario through an available connection.

Thus, a first alternate mode of operation entails each of the RPs 17being configured to function as an EN 14, in response to receipt of theaforementioned provisioning. This way, an RP 17 may then connect with anAP 16 or an AP 30 to check for mailbox messages on network 22 andreceive configuration messages suitable to trigger operation accordingto S1 or S2.

Additionally, a second mode of operation according to S3 entails all orsubsets of each of the APs 16 and 30 and RPs 17 sequentially switchingtheir operability to that of an EN 14. In this example, an RP 17 wouldfirst switch its mode of operation to that of an EN 14, and then an AP16 or 30 would do likewise. As such, an RP 17 is enabled to obtain itsmailbox messages and evaluate its proximity and connectiondeterminations according to Equations (1)-(4).

Notably, S3 affords the opportunity to obtain RSSI measurements based onbeacon advertisement messages transmitted by APs 16 and/or 30 and RPs 17that have not switched to operate in accordance with S3, i.e., areoperating according to their functionality as prescribed by S1 whileawaiting sequential switching as prescribed by S3. For example, in acase in which RPs 17 have switched to operating as an EN 14, RSSImeasurements may be obtained by the RP 17 for beacon advertisementmessages transmitted from APs 16 and/or 30 that have that are awaitingsequential switching as prescribed by S3. This way, an RP 17, operatingas an EN 14, is enabled to transmit a heartbeat message that includesthe MAC address of the APs 16 and/or 30 which are deemed most proximate,the MAC address of the AP 16 and/or 30 to which it connected, the RSSImeasurement for the received beacon advertisement message(s), and itsown RP transmit power level and RSSI offset. In another example, in acase in which APs 16 and/or 30 have switched to operating as an EN 14,which occurs upon the RPs 17 terminating connection to the network 22,such APs 16 and/or 30 may obtain RSSI measurements for beaconadvertisement messages transmitted from RPs 17 that are awaitingsequential switching as prescribed by S3. As such, an AP 16 or 30,operating as an EN 14, is enabled to transmit through its backhaul 20 or32, respectively, the MAC address of the RP 17 or RPs 17 thattransmitted the received beacon advertisement message(s), the RSSImeasurement for the received message(s), and its own AP transmit powerlevel and RSSI offset. In this way, an AP 16 or 30, throughtime-division multiplexing, operates as both an EN 14 according to S3,as well as according to its S1 functionality for the transfer to and thereceipt of information from the network 22.

Accordingly, the network 22, through adaptation of a tuning functionthereat, may then deliver through a connected AP 16 or 30 an adjustmentof one or more parameters thereof and conditions affecting suchparameters, as well as those of RPs 17 when connected through an AP 16or 30. Such parameters may include, for one or more of the RPS 17 andAPs 16 or 30, a RSSI offset (dBm), a location offset (dB), a level oftransmission power (dBm), or latency, or advertising rate, or acombination thereof, in which the location offset represents anadjustment of RSSI of a RP 17 or AP 16 or 30 to bias selection thereofas most proximate according to Equations (1)-(3).

In this way, S3 offers the ability to achieve and obtain an overallmapping of transmission activities and their associated parameters forall or respective ones of the APs 16 and 30 and RPs 17. Based on thismapping, the accuracy of location determination, and overall systemperformance due to an ability to control battery consumption, owing tooptimization of transmit power level, for example, are enhanced.

In each of S1 through S3, it is to be noted that operation of one ormore ENs 14, and operational modes of other components operating as ENs14, may be adjusted by network 22 to execute extended periods of sleepafter detection of no access points or a same access point. With respectto that detection, such ENs 14 may also be provisioned to adjust therate at which heartbeat messages are transmitted in response todetection of specific parameters contained in a transmitted beaconadvertisement message including, for example, a predetermined RSSI forwhich the ENs 14 have been configured to detect. Similarly, accesspoints such as mobile APs 30 may be provisioned by network 22 totransmit their beacon advertisement messages with increasing frequencyin response to positioning thereof at or near a predetermined position.

Accordingly, each of the above scenarios serves to optimize theutilization of network components by coordinating the effective use ofbattery consumption, while at the same time leveraging different modesof component operation to make adjustments affecting that consumption.

In referring to FIG. 14, there is shown a process for operation of thenetwork components associated with S1 through S3 that starts at decisionblock 1410 and proceeds to decision block 1420. Thereat, network 22determines the operable scenario of network component activity among S1through S3. In accordance with the determination, each of the applicablenetwork components is configured, whether through network provisioningor initial setting, to be operable in either an active mode or a sleepmode. At decision block 1430, network components and network 22implement predetermined network component functionality according to thedetermined scenario. Multiple scenarios may be implemented cyclically.Once the network 22 has determined that the application environmentpertinent to the one or more scenarios is fulfilled, the process ends atdecision block 1440.

One or more of each of the APs 16 and 30, RPs 17 and ENs 14 arecontemplated to be cooperable according to S1, S2, and S3, or acombination thereof S3, and configured to obtain the aforementioneddetections of temperature, light, sound, pressure, humidity, density,moisture, acceleration, voltage, current, material content level andpressure, motion, proximity, magnetism, rotation, orientation, velocityand/or deviation from original condition.

Taking motion detection as an example, it is desirable to increase theaccuracy of a proximity determination undertaken by an EN 14 accordingto Equations (1)-(3) in the event that such a determination may becomeskewed by equally spaced RF transmissions of beacon advertisementmessages. More specifically, obtaining such increased accuracy isbeneficial in a case in which the skew is related to those RFtransmissions passing through solid barriers, such as a dividing wallbetween adjacent structurally defined areas, i.e., adjacent rooms in abuilding, and when it is desired to know the proximity of the EN 14 withrespect to one of those areas. Thus, a RP 17 or AP 16 may be configuredto include an infrared sensor, such as a passive infrared (PIR) sensor,and to process and include in its transmitted beacon advertisementmessage an indication of one or more types of motion for which the PIRsensor is configured to detect. Such types of motion may include thosethat can be characterized based on categories for the comparative pacethereof, such as, for example, walking movement, non-walking orfast-paced movement, and idle activity, though other types of motion maybe detected and indicated. An example of at least one of these othertypes of motion may include that which is characterized by a change indirection, for instance. Correspondingly, an EN 14 may be configured todetect its own type of comparatively paced motion, such as throughinclusion of an accelerometer, though other types of motion may bedetected according to the inclusion of an appropriate mechanismtherefor. As such, the EN 14 may be configured to determine its mostproximate RP 17 or AP 16 in accordance with Equations (1)-(3), based ona determination by the EN 14 of a matching motion state between that ofthe EN 14 and that of the RP 17 or AP 16. In other words, RSSs from anRP 17 or AP 16 whose detected motion state does not match the motionstate of the EN 14 would not be considered in the evaluationsimplemented by the EN 14 when executing Equations (1)-(3). This way, thedetermination of a matching motion state provides a prerequisite for theproximity determination that is conducted by the EN 14, and thus ensuresthe accuracy thereof when RF skewing is presented.

Alternatively, and in order to prevent the RF skewing discussed above,an RP 17 or AP 16 may be equipped with an infrared or ultrasoundtransmitter to transmit an infrared signal in addition to its beaconadvertisement message. Correspondingly, an EN 14 could be equipped withan infrared or ultrasound detector. In this way, and when consideringuse of infrared only (since ultrasound would function similarly), the RP17 or AP 16 is configured for active infrared transmission, and the EN14 is configured for active detection. In this instance, the signaltransmitted by the RP 17 or AP 16 is encoded with the MAC address orother unique identifier for the RP 17 or the AP 16 for which the EN 14is configured to detect. Thus, upon decoding and detection by the EN 14of the infrared signal without errors (as verified by a checksum), theEN 14 shortcuts any proximity determination by the EN 14 such that thetransmitting RP 17 or AP 16 would be identified (by its associated MACaddress or other identifier) as being most proximate. In cases where anerror is indicated, the EN 14 would revert to its proximitydetermination in accordance with Equations (1)-(3).

Additionally, each of the APs 16 and RPs 17 described herein may beconfigured to include directional and circularly polarized antennas to,respectively, better focus their broadcasts and reduce crosspolarization loss sometimes experienced with vertically polarizedantennas. This way, EN 14 proximity determinations may be achieved withincreased accuracy.

In these ways, it will be understood that the embodiments disclosedherein optimize the efficiency of a BLE-enabled network by, at least,reducing power consumption of network resources. It will likewise beunderstood that the embodiments disclosed herein enable a determinationof the relative location of an end node in view of its proximity to anaccess point, whether or not such access point is connectable ornon-connectable.

The present embodiments are not limited to the particular embodimentsillustrated in the drawings and described above in detail. Those skilledin the art will recognize that other arrangements could be devised. Thepresent embodiments encompass every possible combination of the variousfeatures of each embodiment disclosed. One or more of the elementsdescribed herein with respect to various embodiments can be implementedin a more separated or integrated manner than explicitly described, oreven removed or rendered as inoperable in certain cases, as is useful inaccordance with a particular application While the present embodimentshave been described with reference to specific illustrative embodiments,modifications and variations of the present embodiments may beconstructed without departing from the spirit and scope of the presentembodiments as set forth in the following claims.

While the present embodiments have been described in the context of theembodiments explicitly discussed herein, those skilled in the art willappreciate that the present embodiments are capable of being implementedand distributed in the form of a computer-usable medium (in a variety offorms) containing computer-executable instructions, and that the presentembodiments apply equally regardless of the particular type ofcomputer-usable medium which is used to carry out the distribution. Anexemplary computer-usable medium is coupled to a computer such thecomputer can read information including the computer-executableinstructions therefrom, and (optionally) write information thereto.Alternatively, the computer-usable medium may be integral to thecomputer. When the computer-executable instructions are loaded into andexecuted by the computer, the computer becomes an apparatus forpracticing the embodiments. For example, when the computer-executableinstructions are loaded into and executed by a general-purpose computer,the general-purpose computer becomes configured thereby into aspecial-purpose computer.

Examples of suitable computer-usable media include: volatile memory suchas random access memory (RAM); nonvolatile, hard-coded orprogrammable-type media such as read only memories (ROMs) or erasable,electrically programmable read only memories (EEPROMs); recordable-typeand/or re-recordable media such as floppy disks, hard disk drives,compact discs (CDs), digital versatile discs (DVDs), etc.; andtransmission-type media, e.g., digital and/or analog communicationslinks such as those based on electrical-current conductors, lightconductors and/or electromagnetic radiation.

Although the present embodiments have been described in detail, thoseskilled in the art will understand that various changes, substitutions,variations, enhancements, nuances, gradations, lesser forms,alterations, revisions, improvements and knock-offs of the embodimentsdisclosed herein may be made without departing from the spirit and scopeof the embodiments in their broadest form.

What is claimed is:
 1. A BLE communications system for communicatingwith a network, comprising: an access point (AP) configured to connectwith the network, and transmit a first beacon advertisement message; anAP not configured to connect with the network, and transmit a secondbeacon advertisement message, so as to define a reference point (RP); anend node (EN) configured to receive the first and second beaconadvertisement messages, and initiate a connection with the AP for thetransfer of data associated with the EN to the network, and the receiptof data from the network, wherein in response to the connection with theAP being initiated by the EN, and the data associated with the ENcomprising at least identifying information of the EN and identifyinginformation of one or more of the AP and the RP, the AP is caused totransfer to the network the at least identifying information of the EN,and the identifying information of the one or more of the AP and the RP,the EN determines whether to initiate the connection with the AP inresponse to evaluating from the first beacon advertisement message atthe time of transmission of the first beacon advertisement message eachof at least (a) whether a proximity of the AP to the EN is a nearestproximity and (b) a loading of the network to which the AP is connected,and each of the AP, the RP, and the EN is configured by the network tooperate according to either an awakened state or a sleep state, the APbeing selected as comprising a stationary AP, or a mobile AP.
 2. The BLEcommunications system of claim 1, wherein: the selected AP, the EN andthe RP are configured to be operable in their associated awakened stateor sleep state based on a predetermined network timing.
 3. The BLEcommunications system of claim 2, wherein the predetermined networktiming comprises real time, or a predetermined interval of time, or acombination thereof.
 4. The BLE communications system of claim 3,wherein: in response to the EN and the RP being operable in anassociated sleep state, the selected AP is further configured to receivea third beacon advertisement message, and transmit to the networkinformation associated with the third beacon advertisement message. 5.The BLE communications system of claim 4, wherein: the third beaconadvertisement message is transmitted by an EN configured to transmit thethird beacon advertisement message for receipt by the selected AP. 6.The BLE communications system of claim 3, wherein: in response to the ENbeing operable in an associated sleep state, the RP is configured toreceive the first beacon advertisement message, and initiate aconnection with the selected AP for the transfer of data associated withthe RP to the network, and the receipt of data to be associated with theRP from the network.
 7. The BLE communications system of claim 6,wherein: the data associated with the RP and the data to be associatedwith the RP comprises sensor data, or a received signal strengthindicator (RSSI), or a location offset, or a level of transmit power, oran advertising rate, or a latency condition, or a combination thereof.8. The BLE communications system of claim 3, wherein: in response to theEN being operable in an associated sleep state, the RP and the selectedAP are configured to sequentially initiate a connection to the networkfor the transfer of data associated with the RP and the selected AP,respectively, and the receipt of data to be associated with the RP andthe selected AP from the network, respectively.
 9. The BLEcommunications system of claim 8, wherein: the sequential initiation ofthe connection to the network is initiated by the RP.
 10. The BLEcommunications system of claim 9, wherein: the RP initiates theconnection to the network through the selected AP.
 11. The BLEcommunications system of claim 10, wherein: the selected AP isconfigured to initiate the connection to the network in response to theRP terminating the initiated connection thereof.
 12. The BLEcommunications system of claim 11, wherein: the data associated with theRP and the selected AP comprises sensor data, or a received signalstrength indicator (RSSI), or a location offset, or a level of transmitpower, or an advertising rate, or a latency condition, or a combinationthereof.
 13. The BLE communications system of claim 12, wherein: inresponse to receipt of the data associated with the RP and the selectedAP by the network, the AP is configured to transmit the first beaconadvertisement message in accordance with receipt of a network adjustedRSSI for the first beacon advertisement message, and the RP isconfigured to transmit the second beacon advertisement message inaccordance with receipt of a network adjusted RSSI for the second beaconadvertisement message.
 14. The BLE communications system of claim 13,wherein: the RP and the selected AP comprise directional and circularlypolarized antennas.
 15. The BLE communications system of claim 1,wherein: the EN is configured to determine a proximity to the RP and theselected AP based on a matching of a type of motion state of the EN to atype of motion state detected by the RP and a matching of the type ofmotion state of the EN to a type of motion state detected by theselected AP, respectively.
 16. A method of BLE communications,comprising: in a system comprising an access point (AP) configured toconnect to a network and transmit a first beacon advertisement message,an AP configured to not connect to the network, and transmit a secondbeacon advertisement message, so as to define a reference point (RP),and an end node (EN), in which the AP is selected as comprising astationary AP, or a mobile AP, and the EN is configured to initiate aconnection with the selected AP in response to the receipt of the firstbeacon advertisement message, and operating each of the selected AP, theRP, and the EN according to a predetermined network timing configured totrigger an alternate mode of operation of the selected AP, or the RP, ora combination thereof, wherein in response to the connection with theselected AP being initiated by the EN, the AP is caused to transfer tothe network at least identifying information of the EN, and identifyinginformation of one or more of the selected AP, and the RP, the ENdetermines whether to initiate the connection with the selected AP inresponse to evaluating from the first beacon advertisement message atthe time of transmission of the first beacon advertisement message eachof at least (a) whether a proximity of the selected AP to the EN is anearest proximity and (b) a loading of the network to which the selectedAP is connected.
 17. The method of BLE communications of claim 16,wherein: the predetermined network timing comprises real time, or apredetermined interval of time, or a combination thereof.
 18. The methodof BLE communications of claim 17, wherein: in response to thepredetermined timing corresponding to a sleep state for the EN and theRP, the alternate mode of operation of the selected AP comprises furtherbeing configured to receive a third beacon advertisement message, andtransmit to the network information associated with the third beaconadvertisement message.
 19. The method of BLE communications of claim 18,wherein: the third beacon advertisement message is transmitted by an ENconfigured to transmit the third beacon advertisement message forreceipt by the selected AP.
 20. The method of BLE communications ofclaim 17, wherein: in response to the predetermined timing correspondingto a sleep state of the EN, the alternate mode of operation of the RPcomprises being configured to receive the first beacon advertisementmessage, and initiate a connection with the selected AP for the transferof data associated with the RP to the network, and the receipt of datato be associated with the RP from the network.
 21. The method of BLEcommunications of claim 20, wherein: the data associated with the RP andthe data to be associated with the RP comprises sensor data, or areceived signal strength indicator (RSSI), or a location offset, or alevel of transmit power, or an advertising rate, or a latency condition,or a combination thereof.
 22. The method of BLE communications of claim17, wherein: in response to the predetermined timing corresponding to asleep state of the EN, the alternate mode of operation of the selectedAP and the RP comprises being configured to sequentially initiate aconnection to the network for the transfer of data associated with theRP and the selected AP, respectively, and the receipt of data to beassociated with the RP and the selected AP from the network,respectively.
 23. The BLE communications system of claim 22, wherein:the sequential initiation of the connection to the network is initiatedby the RP.
 24. The BLE communications system of claim 23, wherein: theRP initiates the connection to the network through the selected AP. 25.The BLE communications system of claim 24, wherein: the selected AP isconfigured to initiate the connection to the network in response to theRP terminating the initiated connection thereof.
 26. The method of BLEcommunications of claim 25, wherein: the data associated and to beassociated with the RP and the selected AP comprises sensor data, or areceived signal strength indicator (RSSI), or a location offset, or alevel of transmit power, or an advertising rate, or a latency condition,or a combination thereof.
 27. The method of BLE communications of claim26, wherein: in response to receipt of the data associated with the RPand the selected AP by the network, the AP is configured to transmit thefirst beacon advertisement message in accordance with receipt of anetwork adjusted RSSI for the first beacon advertisement message, andthe RP is configured to transmit the second beacon advertisement messagein accordance with receipt of a network adjusted RSSI for the secondbeacon advertisement message.
 28. The method of BLE communications ofclaim 27, wherein: the RP and the selected AP comprise directional andcircularly polarized antennas.
 29. The method of BLE communications ofclaim 16, wherein: the EN is configured to determine a proximity to theRP and the selected AP based on a matching of a type of motion state ofthe EN to a type of motion state detected by the RP and a matching ofthe type of motion state of the EN to a type of motion state detected bythe selected AP, respectively.
 30. The method of BLE communications ofclaim 16, wherein: the EN is configured to determine a proximity to theRP or the selected AP based on a Bayesian maximum a posteriori (MAP)estimation of a plurality of consecutively received signal strengths(RSSs) of respective beacon advertisement messages received from the RPor the AP.